20 December 2010

Mon 12/20/2010 12:33 PM


Invierno en Iowa

Bueno Familia!! Feliz Navidad!!!

FIRST OFFF!!! CONGRATS MOM FOR PASSING YOUR PRAXIS!!! THAT’S AWESOME. I KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!!!! Ok, normal lettering now. So basically, I am not really going to write anything this week. [Because he will talk to us on the phone on Christmas].

Tuesday, we went to Cherokee and saw some people, one of which included a toothless old lady and a guy with a shedding dog, which got hair all over my coat. That was super enjoyable. Then we went up to Sioux City for Zone Conference. We stayed with the Spanish Elders. Their apartamento is soooo huge! It’s awesome. Next morning, we drove down to Council Bluffs and had zone conference. It was really enjoyable! We learned about having effective studies. It was really good. Then we had like a Christmas program thingy! It was fun. We did a white elephant gift, I got some Farty Putty. It’s pretty fun for like 15 minutes. I gave a workout scooter deal that I found at Goodwill. It’s pretty legit! But yeah! Then we drove back in like 4 inches of snow!! It took forever! We got to Sioux city at like 7 and had zone activity! - basketball and tim tam slammies!! Twas good. I haven't played basketball forever!!! Because I serve where there is no one to play with!! But yeah! Things are going well!! We had a good lesson with an Hispanic woman. She basically told me that Americans are racista [racists], and that our church will turn her into la migra [a migrant]. Which is NOT true, so I assured her on that fact. She just opened up to me. And no one knows what’s going on but me, everyone else speaks English, and she starts crying, and it was really good. I bore her my testimony and promised her that she would be ok if she follows Christ. It was a way spiritual lesson. We left, and my companion was like. WHAT HAPPENED? Why was she crying? Oh man, good times when I can speak Spanish and others can't! I can't wait to use that tool when I get home. Ha ha. But I also had church for the first time in this area! It was really good. I fasted and prayed for Wally and their family to come to church and set a date for marriage. Guess what? They came, and right after Santa Cena [Sacrament], they asked us if we would be witnesses at their wedding this week. CRAZY!!! The Lord blesses us so much; it is just awesome!

(Testimony of la obra misional [missionary work] for the ward) I cannot believe I have been out over a year now. The time flies when we are doing the work of the Lord. Being a missionary has changed my life so much. It has opened up my mind so much, and has built my testimony even stronger of Christ. First off, the mission is HARD!! Whether it is staying focused or being sad. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. The blessings that the Lord gives us and the spiritual uplifting that we feel, while we are out, is so edifying and amazing. I don't think I would have learned Spanish without the help of the Lord. And sometimes I can't speak Spanish, but as the scriptures say, if you but open your mouth, I will fill it! I can't count on my hands how many times I have been lost and not knowing what to say, or how to say it, and I just start talking and it is exactly what that person needed at that moment. Our Heavenly Father loves us SO much that He knows what each person needs at that exact second in time. And just being that specific tool to share the love from our Father is so beautiful. Nothing out here can be done without the Lord. Nothing. This work is lead by Him, and I feel of His love and presence everyday as I go out to preach the word. I know that this is an important work and what I am doing, what we are doing, is the greatest gift our Father gives us. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be here where I am at today. And I am so blessed to have the Spirit with me so I can discern the things that the Lord would want to happen if He were here. I love the Lord and I am grateful for His servants that He has sent to help us on our path back to Him. We must never give up on the work of the Lord, whether we be a nursery leader, or a bishop, we must always do what we have been called to do, because we never know whose heart we will touch and what blessings or plans the Lord has in store. I love you all and I am grateful to be serving the Lord out here. I hope that you all can feel of the Spirit of Christ as I do everyday - especially at this time of Christmas. May you all be showered with happiness and joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I just want you all to know that I love this season where we can remember Christ our Savior. He really did live and He really did bless everyone for the eternities to come. I know, as we are more Christlike at this time of year, we will have the Best Christmas that we can all remember. I love you all and miss you all as well! Have a Merry Merry Christmas!!! love you!!!
con amor siempre,
Elder Bradley Rigby

Mon 12/13/2010 10:54 AM

Greetings from Iowa

Bueno a la mejor familia en el mundo!!!

So, basically, this last week has been so crazy! I went from loving life, in the nice 50 degree weather of my home away from home in Grand Island, to freezing my tail off in the middle of Iowa! haha. So first off, I know ya'll have a billion questions about Storm Lake. So the lake is frozen over, and yes, I want to go ice fishing, we will have to see about that. But it is a small (English) branch of about 40 active members. Basically, it takes like 10 minutes, tops, to get from one side of town to the other. You guys saw how small it is on Google Earth! There are a bunch of Mexicans that I have to activate. Basically, everyone we teach and talk to can speak Spanish. So yeah, I kind of teach alone, which is not fun at all! I wish they just had it full Spanish team here and we would teach in Spanish and in English. But oh well. I am stuck dealing with this right now.

But it is very cold here. Saturday we weren't allowed to go out at all because there was a blizzard, and if we walked and stuff, apparently, we would freeze. But you know me, that doesn't stop me! So we got all bundled up and walked to a member’s house down the street!
The apartment isn't too bad. The shower doesn’t work well and there is no dishwasher. But that’s about all the complaints I have. I am completely fine with coping with that stuff.
But the work here. So basically I came here and there is nothing going on at all. Like nothing. On a good week, they teach about 2 lessons a week because they couldn't speak to the Spanish people. So yeah, pretty low! So I am here to boost the area back up to speed so the branch has the Spirit and love to do stuff again! And yeah, we are doing that. We taught six lessons alone the last three days. I guess that shows you how many Hispanics there really are! But yeah.

Iowa is pretty weird. I am homesick for Nebraska! I miss my Huskers. All I see is the Cyclones and Hawkeyes stuff. EWWW! But this town is really small and I imagine it should be fine for me. It depends on how the next couple to three weeks go! But I feel like it’s just a place where I can really start over. I mean, it’s my second year, and I am in a new area. I think the Lord wants me to start it off strongly. I really have to trust in Him here. Because there is a lot to do! I am excited to do it though! My companion is Elder Friddle de Castledale, Utah. He is pretty new. But yeah. I feel bad for him because he just kind of sits there the whole time while I speaka da Spanish! Oh well! But he is a good kid and we are doing well. But yeah!
Things are going really well here. I had a chance to meet a family, who we are working with, and I see them getting baptized soon, if they get married. The mom is a member, but just barely got reactivated. And her brother-in-law just got baptized last transfer. So things in their family are going well. We have taught them twice. One time just about the Book of Mormon, and we answered some questions and last night about Mosiah 3:19. Today, we are going over again to watch The Testaments with them! So it should be good! We were supposed to have them at the church yesterday night for the Christmas Devotional, (yes, I am in the boonies and we had to wait a week to get the devotional,) but no one showed, except the branch mission leader. I even made brownies!!! Oh yeah, church was canceled yesterday because of the weather. Basically all the roads are just ice here - not too much. But I love driving in it! You know me! Things are going really good. This place is going to build my testimony a lot, and I have a really good feeling about it! And while I DO miss Grand Island a lot, it’s ok! I said bye to all the members on Wednesday in Grand Island and that was tough! I love them so much. I wish I could finish my mission there. I am praying for it and you should pray for me too. Because I love that place! But yes! Not too much else to talk about! I am still saving up, for in a couple weeks we talk! I can't wait!

So, basically, things are going really well. It all depends on your attitude on how your altitude is! So I have decided to take the attitude change and just be happy and serve all that I can. I cannot believe that I have been out a year. It is so crazy how fast the mission goes! but I love it so much. And I love the Lord. I have learned so much about myself and about the gospel and there is no other place in the world I would rather be right now than on the mission. I love you all so much and I miss you too! Love you all! Have a great last week of school and keep it cool!

Con amor siempre mis queridos!

Elder Bradley Rigby


Raking leaves in Grand Island - a lot of leaves.



Bundled up for icy cold weather

It's really cold here. Just check out the temperature on my car dash below.

6 December 2010

Mon 12/6/2010 1:30 PM


Cosas Pasaron

Why hello there all ya'll!!

So this week nothing special happened at all! It was kind of a weird week. But a lot of people weren't home, but we did contact some inactives who I have never seen in my life! - which was super- deee-duper good! I love Grand Island, but I think I am leaving. I have grown a lot here and I love the people so much! But we will see what happens with the transfer this Thursday. There are 3 new Spanish speaking missionaries coming in,so we will have to see where there go and what not. I will let you guys know next Monday, I guess!

So this week we really tried to find some new investigators and it didn't work out too well...We taught a lot of people and got some referrals, but it just didn't work out! Norberto is kind of falling off the map and what not, so that kind of stinks. But Sajid and Lorenzo are always there. Sunday, they both expressed to me that they would like to be baptized next month and I am like, “Great! Finally!” So I hope they go through with it, with or without me! We did see a lot of inactives this week. In one person's case, we set an appointment with her, went back and she wasn't there. Which was weird. Two days later we get a call from her, and she tells us to come over. So we go over and she has this huge growth on her neck that I didn't notice before. She asked for a blessing, so we gave her one. Now I think, that if we had gone there the first time, maybe she wouldn't have even asked for a blessing. And maybe that blessing will be a miracle and change her life back to the church! I hope so. The surgery went well we hear. So we will see!

We, as always, had the pot luck yesterday, which was super awesome. We had tons of food!! but no one came....:( We made a mountain man breakfast and deviled eggs...it was really good. It was sad because we had knocked on so many doors and invited so many people to come, and like only 20 people were at church! :( Oh well. They have their agency. I just can't wait until the veil is lifted from all of our eyes, and the people are like "Oh no, what did I do by sending those missionaries away?" haha. Then they can receive the fullness of the gospel and enjoy the blessings, just as we do! But all in all, it wasn't that bad of week! It was just a long week of no one really home. Which is really weird, usually, we contact a lot of people! Oh well.

Well, seems as if it is wrap up time. This week I read some pretty sweet stuff about Elijah and how in Malachi it talks about him coming again and what not. It’s so awesome how they already came to the temple and restored the keys. I just think it’s such a beautiful thing to know that we have all the restored keys to the earth hoy en dia. And that we can enjoy them all we want, as long as we do what the Lord says. Because "I the Lord am Obligated when ye do what I say" and it’s true. When we do what He says, He will immediately shower the blessing upon us. I love you all and I am so grateful to have your sustaining support in my life. I pray for you all daily and pray for the spirit of the Lord to be upon you. I urge you to think of the Savior every day, and do something for someone else during this time of year, just as the Savior would do for His children. I love you and miss you. Vayan con Dios siempre!

Con amor siempre,

Elder Bradley Rigby